Is College Worth It?
If you're about to pour tens of thousands of dollars into a college education, you may ask yourself: Is college really worth that much money? Wouldn't I be better off going right to work? Studies have shown that college is definitely a good investment that not only pays off financially with better jobs, but also with other lifelong benefits.
Getting Richer
According to latest statistics from the U.S. Census (www.census.gov), the more education you have, the more you earn. Just take a look at the chart below showing the average earnings compared to level of education:
Education Level Less Than High School High School Some College College Masters Doctorate Professional | Men's Annual Income $22,091 $32,673 $38,377 $63,505 $73,629 $99,607 $138,827 | Women's Annual Income $13,459 $21,141 $23,905 $37,909 $47,368 $66,426 $61,583 |
Plus, statistics show that employment rates go up according to how much education an individual completes.
Lifestyle Benefits
A recent report by the College Board called "Education Pays" confirms the monetary benefits of a higher education but also highlights societal benefits. Those who attend college have:
- lower smoking rates
- lower incarceration rates
- increased civic participation, including volunteer work, voting, and blood donation
"The report shows that students who attend college obtain a wide range of personal, financial, and other lifelong benefits," says College Board president, Gasper Caperton. "Likewise taxpayers and society as a whole receive many direct and indirect benefits when our citizens have access to college.
Article courtesy of www.careersandcolleges.com
Leave a comment